Nathanael Greene

Nathanael Greene (1742–1786) was a Continental Army general during the American Revolution. He rose swiftly through the ranks of the military to become one of Washington’s most trusted officers. Greene first served as commander of the Rhode Island forces before being promoted to major general in 1776 and took part in the battles at Trenton, Brandywine, and Germantown. In 1778 he became commander in chief of the Southern Army. During the latter part of the war his strategies led to victory at Cowpens in South Carolina and to the retreat of British General Cornwallis into Virginia, where the Americans defeated him in 1781.